Area businesses looking for some free training to help deal with violence in the workplace are in luck as the Domestic Abuse Resistance Team has scheduled its 12th annual “Collaboration is the Key” Conference for Aug. 9 at the Ruston Civic Center.

The conference, which is meant to provide local businesses with an opportunity to network and learn new ideas and techniques for dealing with domestic violence crimes, is scheduled to run from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 9, and will be a tool to help the area get more informed of these types of crimes.

With a little help from the community, 500 families will be able to sit down to a nice holiday ham dinner this Christmas.

For approximately six years, Super 1 Foods, in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Lincoln, Christ Community Action and the Ruston-Lincoln Community Foundation has worked to collect $12,000 to provide the 500 dinners, which could feed as many as 2,000 individuals.

Chris Turner, Rotary of Lincoln member and Super 1 Foods store director, said the dinners typically consist of ham, green beans and/or corn, yams and rolls, depending on how the donations work.

Beginning Jan. 1, Davis will get registration under way for the new Buddy Ball League in Ruston. The registration process will continue throughout January with games scheduled to get under way in March.